Manual control mechanism



Oct. 9, 1934. w. w. WILLIAMS MANUAL CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 14, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

fw ww M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 9, 1934. w w w L 1,976,317

MANUAL CONTROL MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 14, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w. w. WILLIAMS 1,976,317

MANUAL CONTROL MECHANISM Oct. 9, 1934.

Filed Aug. 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ti -7- 8 v 7 33% A TTORNEYS.

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Patented Oct. 9, 1934 FFHCE MANUAL CONTROL MEGHANISM Walter W. Williams, Bloomington, Ill.

Application August 14,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in control mechanism and more particularly to a menually operated control mechanism for opening and closing electric circuits and at the same time '5 actuating mechanical mechanism.

This device is of particular advantage in connection with electrically operated and control fluid fuel burner mechanisms for heating purposes, although it may be advantageously employed wherever it is desired to manually control the operation of mechanical controls in connection with and in addition to the operation of electric switches. I

Electrically operated and controlled fluid fuel burner mechanisms usually include an electric motor for supplying the fluid fuel and also for operating the fan for supplying air to form a combustible mixture with the fluid fuel as well as electric means for igniting the fluid fuel. It is an 20 object of this invention to provide a mechanism which may be manually operated to first close the motor circuit to supply the fluid fuel to the combustion chamber and simultaneously close the ignition circuit to ignite said fuel and after combustion to open the ignition circuit and at the same time control the supply of fluid fuel and the supply of air which forms the combustible mixture with the fluid fuel.

With these and other objects in view, reference is made to the accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention with the understanding that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

In the drawings;

Figure l is a view in side elevation illustrating the application of this invention to a commercial type of oil burner.

Figure 2 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in section of the oil burner shown in Figure 1 as installed in connection with a commercial heater or furnace.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation of this improved control mechanism with the cover removed and illustrating the position of the parts when the oil burner is idle or shut down.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3, illustrating the position assumed by the parts when closing the motor circuit and the ignition circuit.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the position of the parts with the motor circuit closed and the ignition circuit opened after the initial closing.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating 1933, Serial No. 685,022

the position of the parts assumed after the ignition circuit has beenbroken with the motor circuit closed and supplying the maximum fluid fuel and an. t

Figure 7 is a view in central transverse section taken on the line 77 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts shown in elevation.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view similar toFigure 3 of a modified form.

The oil burner illustrating the embodiment of this invention is of acommercial type and includes a chamber 1 adapted to be secured to the walls of a domestic furnace or heater 2 the combustion chamber of which is preferably lined with refractory material 3. above the housing 3 having an opening 4 registering with a similar opening in the upper side of said chamben The housing 3 at one end supports an electric motor 5 the shaft 6 of which mounts a fan blower 7. The housing 3 on the other side supports a pressure pump 8 and a pump 9 for metering the oil into the pressure pump 8 which also draws air from the atmosphere through the air muflier 10. The shaft 6 of the motor is continued through the pressure and metering pumps to operate the same. Oil is conducted from a source, not shown, through the pipe 11 to an oil valve housing 12 and from thence through passageway 13, shown in Figure 7, to the supply chamber 14 of the metering pump 9. By the operation of the piston 15 of the metering pump, a pre-determined constant quantity of oil is discharged through the duct 16 into the interior of the pressure pump 8. The oil and air is discharged under pressure from the pump 8 by way of the pipe 17 into a closed chamber 18 forming a part of the supporting chamber 1. Here the oil and air separate and the oil collecting in the bottom of the chamber is discharged by the pressure of the air thereabove through a float control valve 19 into the oil pipe 20 to be discharged through the nozzle 21; the air under pressure above the oil is discharged from the chamber through an air pipe 22 surrounding and spaced apart from the oil pipe 20 to be discharged with the oil through the nozzle 21. As above stated, this construction is a commercial form of oil burner and is disclosed in this applicants prior Patents Numbers 1,451,798, April 17, 1923; 1,783,405, December 2, 1930; and 1,831,277, November 10, 1931, and more particularly disclosed in said applicants prior co-pending applicationSerial Number 662,711 filed March 25, 1933.

In addition to the parts above described and The chamber 2 supports there I referred to as generally being disclosed in the applicants said patents and application, this embodiment includes a butterfly valve or draft regulator 23 adjacent the discharge 4 in the housing 3 for the air under pressure from the fan '7. As seen in Figure '7, the stroke of the metering pump piston 15 is limited by the relation of the control band 24 thereto, the relation of which is determined by position of the cam 25 upon the shaft 26, instead of by a lug as disclosed in said applicants Patent Number 1,451,798.

The control mechanism which is the subject of this invention is mounted upon a base plate 27 having circumferential flanges 28 supporting a cover plate 29 protecting the moving parts of the control, and the base plate 27 is secured at its upper end by bolts 30 to the end of the housing of the metering pump 9, as shown in Figures 1 and '7. The cam shaft 26 of the metering pump is extended through the housing of the metering pump 9 and through an aperture 31 provided therefor in the base plate 2'7 of the control mechanism. The butterfly valve or draft regulator 23 in the air discharge from the fan 7 is mounted upon an operating shaft 32 which is also extended to enter through the base plate 27 of the control mechanism.

The control is manually operated by a control lever comprising a hand grip 33 mounted upon one end of a flat spring 34 carried on a control lever plate 35 which is mounted upon a recessed hub 36 secured to the end of the cam shaft 26. The relative positions of the lever about its axis are determined by the provision of a quadrant plate 37 secured to the base plate flanges 28 between the spring plate 34 and base 27, which quadrant plate is provided with a slot 38 and a plurality of perforations 39. A stud 40 is secured to the spring lever plate 34 adapted to travel within the slot 38 and by flexing the spring plate 34 the lever may be rotated to engage the stud 40 in any selected perforation 39. The stud 40 is normally held in engagement with the left-hand end of the slot 38 by a spring 41 one end of which is bent over the right-hand edge of the spring plate 34 and then coiled about the recess in the hub 36 with the other end brought into engagement with a bolt 30 securing the base plate to the metering pump housing. The control lever plate 35 extends beyond the hub 36 and is angularly offset, as shown in Figure 7. A mercury tube switch 42 is mounted in clips 43 carried upon the offset portion of the lever plate 35 in such relation thereto that when the lever is rotated so that the stud 40 engages the left-hand end of the slot 38 of the quadrant, the said mercury tube switch will be in the open position so that the electric circuit therethrough is broken, as shown in Figure 3, and yet when the lever is rotated to the right causing the stud 40 to engage the right end of the slot 38, the switch 42 will be tilted sufficiently to close the circuit therethrough, as shown in Figure 4.

The cam 25 on the shaft 26 is of such formation that during the movement of the lever from one end of the slot 38 to the other, the rotation of the shaft 26 will not alter the position of the control band 24 of the metering pump 9 from that adjusted for the minimum supply of oil for the minimum fire desired, and upon continued movement of the lever to the right will progressively A draft regulator arm 44 is adjustably secure-:1 by a set screw 45 to the end of the draft regulator operating shaft 32. This arm 44 is provided with an elongated slot 46 extending radially from the axis of the shaft 32 and is adapted to be engaged by a stud 4'? carried upon the lower end of the control lever plate 35 on the side opposite the mercury tube switch 42. The regulator arm 44 is so adjusted on the shaft 32 that the draft regulator 23 is-closed when the lever is at the end of its travel to open the mercury tube switch 42, and as the lever is moved to the right to its successive positions the arm 44 will progressively rotate the draft regulator until the passageway 4 is entirely opened, as when the operating control lever has reached the end of its travel to engage the perforation 39 at the right of the quadrant 37.

The mercury tube switch is connected to the hot side of the commercial line L by a flexible lead 48 and by a flexible lead M to the motor 5 of the oil burner, the current returning from the motor through the flexible lead M to the control mechanism and thence to the return L of the commercial circuit.

To the left of the draft regulator operating shaft 32 an ignition switch is mounted upon a base 49 secured to and insulated from the base plate 27. The ignition switch includes a bracket 50 carried upon said plate 49 which supports a spring-pressed lower contact member 51. An upper contact member 52 is mounted on one end of an arm 53, the other end of which is provided with spaced apart right angular depending portions 54 which are mounted to rotate about a stud 55 carried upon plate 49. Extending beyond this end of the contact carrying arm 53 and secured to the under side is an upwardly curved actuator plate 56. The upper contact carrying arm 53 is normally maintained separated from the lower contact 51 and in a horizontal position by a spring 57 engaging the left-hand edge of one depending portion 54 above the stud 55 and then wrapped about said stud and brought into engagement with an anchor pin and stop 58 carried upon the plate 49, which stop is also adapted to engage a shoulder 59 upon the other depending portion 54 when the arm 53 is in horizontal position. The lower contact 51 is connected by 2. flexible lead 60 to the hot side L of the commercial circuit while the upper contact 52 is connected by a flexible lead I to an ignition device of any desired commercial form which is connected to the electrodes E to cause a spark to jump between them and ignite the combustible mixture issuing 1.,

from the nozzle 21. The ignition device is connected by theflexible lead I which in turn is connected to the return side L of the commercial circuit.

As seen, the normal position of the ignition switch is with the contacts separated so that the circuit is broken. The draft regulator arm 44 is provided with a radial offset 61 which mounts a roller 62 so positioned that when the control lever is in the position to engage the stud 40 with the left-hand end of the slot 38, the said roller will be above and in tangential engagement with the curved actuator plate 56, as shown in Figure 3, and when the control lever is moved to bring the pin 40 in engagement with the right-hand end of I theslot 38 the roller 61 by movement of the arm 44 will press against the curved actuator plate 56 to rotate the arm 53 to bring the contact 52 in engagement with the contact 51, as shown in Figure 4, and when the control lever is moving so that its stud engages the perforation 39 next to the slot 38, the roller 62 will have passed out of engagement with the curved actuator plate 56, as shown in Figure 5, and the spring 57 will have separated the contacts and returned the upper contact carrying arm 53 to the horizontal position and further movement to the right of the control lever will carry the roller 62 farther away from the actuator 56.

From the above, it is seen that by the manual operation of the control lever from its normal position when the burner mechanism is idle the ignition circuit is closed as the motor circuit is closed, at which time the metering pump delivers the minimum amount of oil for the minimum fire desired and the minimum amount of air is supplied from the fan to form the combustible mixture for this fire; then as the control lever is moved to the right the ignition device is discontinued and the intensity of the fire is increased by admitting more oil with the proportioned amount of air. This device is adaptable for controlling a fluid fuel burner of the type referred to when used in connection with a domestic heating plant as well as when the burner is applied to a domestic hot water heater, restaurant range, bakery oven, or many similar uses. At times a very low fire is desired, which, on account of the variations in the fiuid fuel, may become extinguished, and in such cases it is preferable to employ a continuous ignition device. In such a case, both the ignition circuit and the motor circuit are opened and closed through the mercury tube switch 44.

This invention also contemplates the substitution of a serrated quadrant for the perforated quadrant 3'7, and a tooth or rib for engagement with the teeth on the quadrant substituted for the engaging stud 40 illustrated. In such a case, the control lever spring 41 is preferably omitted.

The operation of this device does not depend upon the employment of the mercury tube switch shown. Any type of open contact switch mechanism be controlled by the position of the control lever without departing from the scope of this invention. Figure 8 shows one modification in which a contact 63 is mounted upon the offset portion of the control lever plate 35 on the side adjacent the base plate 27 to which one of the flexible leads to the motor switch is secured. An arcuate contact strip 64 is mounted upon and insulated from the base plate 27 which is adapted to be engaged and wiped over by the contact 63 when the lever is rotated to the right and maintained such contact throughout its movement. The contact plate 64 is connected to the other flexible lead of the motor switch. The relation of the contact 63 to the contact plate 6 is such that when the lever has been rotated to the extreme left portion the contact 63 will have wiped over the plate 64 and be separated therefrom as shown in said figure, breaking the motor circuit. This form also illustrates the modified form of quadrant 37 including the serrations 39, and the spring member 34 of ti e control lever is provided a control including a manually operatable lever adapted to vary the capacity of the fuel pump,

an electric motor for operating the said pump and fan blower, a switch in the motor circuit actuated by said lever, a valve for controlling the supply of air from the fan blower to the nozzle, and means actuated by the said lever to operate said valve to simultaneously increase the supply of air as the capacity of the pump is increased, and a switch in the circuit to the ignition device actuated by said lever to close the ignition switch when the motor swich is closed.

2. In an electrically operated fluid fuel burner mechanism, including a fluid fuel pump for supplying fluid fuel to the burner nozzle, a fan blower for supplying air about said nozzle, an electric ignition device for igniting the fuel at the nozzle, a control including a manually operatable lever adapted to vary the capacity of the fuel pump, an electric motor for operating the said pump and fan blower, a switch in the motor circuit actuated by said lever, a valve for controlling the supply of air from the fan blower to the nozzle, and means actuated by the said lever to operate said valve to simultaneously increase the supply of air as the capacity of the pump is increased, a switch in the circuit to the ignition device actuated by said lever to close the ignition switch when the motor switch is closed, and means actuated by the control lever to open the ignition switch and thereafter increase the capacity of the fuel pump and simultaneously increase the supply of air from the fan blower to the nozzle.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the ca pacity of the pump is controlled by a cam and cam shaft, and wherein the said lever is fixed on said cam shaft.

l. The structure of claim 2, wherein the air valve is mounted upon an operating shaft, and wherein an arm fixed on said shaft co-acts with said lever.

5. The structure of claim 2, wherein the air valve is mounted upon an operating shaft having an arm thereon co-acting with said lever, and wherein the said arm co-acts with said ignition switch.

6. In an electrically operated fiuid fuel burner mechanism, including a fluid fuel pump for supplying fluid fuel to the burner nozzle, a cam and 1125 cam shaft for varying the capacity of the fuel pump, a fan blower for supplying air about said nozzle, a valve in the air supply having an opcrating shaft therefor, an electric ignition device for igniting the fuel at the nozzle, an electric motor for operating said pump and said fan blower, a control including a manually operatable lever keyed upon said cam shaft, an arm carried upon the air valve operating shaft co-acting with the lever for simultaneously varying the air supply in conjunction with the variations of the capacity of the pump, a switch in the ignition circuit, and a member upon the air valve operating shaft arm to co-act therewith, whereby in one position the lever reduces the fuel and 140 air supply to the minimum required for a minimum fire and opens the motor and ignition circuits and upon operation of the lever the motor circuit and ignition circuits are closed maintaining the minimum air and fuel supply, and upon continued movement increases the air and fuel supply to increase the volume of the fire.

WALTER W. WILLIAMS. 

